Sunday, December 17, 2017

Meet Heaven. Perhaps, some of you have already. Heaven is my daughter. Steady approaching adult life and man, am I proud and a little nervous. Heaven has always been one of my favorite people but shes a little like me so how could I not, right? In all serious though, she makes her way through life as a good, warm-hearted person. Things might not always go the way we plan but I try to instill in her that life takes time and if you fall or stumble that you can pick yourself back up and try again and again.
I'll keep this brief but for you Heaven: We get through this life on good days and some bad days but know that I am here to walk with you in whatever aspect of life you may face. What challenges and road blocks that may stand in your way we will get through together. We laugh, we cry and sometimes we sing in the car but most importantly you are an amazing human being! Im very proud of you and I love you very much!

I wouldn't say Ive been into hot rods my whole life but as a little kid I was avid in tractor pulls and monster trucks. I mean it was the 80s! I grew up in a small farm town and did I mention it was the 80s? I grew up with a love for cars and wanting to go fast but it was, like most things I picked up on my own, through trial and error and by doing. Coming up through the world of autocross and road course racing in my 20s to traditional hot rods and that culture in the mid 2000s. I purchased a 1930 Ford Model A coupe in December of 2015 from a friend with a history here in Fort Wayne. A previously modified coupe that used to pound the streets in the late 50s. It was a major purchase but I knew it was something I wanted to get into. I have been hoarding parts slowly and doing things as I can but its a true passion and one of the few things that keeps me up at night as I mentally build the coupe over and over in my head.
When time came to pick a person to build the motor I knew the choice for was Tony and Ross Race Engines. After a few phone calls and a plan to take my Chevy 327 with a Man-a-Fre intake and four 2brl carbs in September I hit the road east bound at 5am. The trip was easy and I was looking forward to meeting Tony and seeing his Hilton Hot rods built coupe. I don't take that lightly. His car has been my number 1 inspiration from the beginning so being up close and personal to his car, his shop and the beautiful work he does was next level. Tony is a very hospitable guy(once you get to know him) he is no nonsense, he can be brash but he put passion into what he does and it shows. We went over my build plan for the motor and talked about his car and that car. It really was a great trip and a good guy to know. Before I left I snapped a few images of his coupe with my Fuji X100 and I hit the road. I'm looking forward to getting back to his shop in the near future!

It was brought to my attention that I havent updated my blog / site in some time. I didnt realize that it has been almost a year. Man, am I kicking myself. Its hard to expand upon a business if you're not producing content for the world to see. I have been focusing on more personal work that gets posted to Instagram and building a 1930 Ford Model A hotrod which is really just an excuse so Im going to make up for it all here and now! Welcome back!
I was given a lead by a friend of mine to go a family shoot for Debbie Doust and her family. Once I was informed it would be around 29 people, I was up for the challenge. One thing I tend to forget in the moment of shooting a large group is to make sure you can see every person in some way and a challenge it was. With the looming clouds and the threat of rain I think we go through it pretty well. The site of the shoot was at the Lebamoff home for their fathers birthday and a lovely home and lovely people. Very hospitable and kind. As the family filled in we got to work. Its shoots like this I enjoy. I can stay behind the camera and capture moments between family groupings. It was just a lot of fun and I want to thank everyone involved. Enjoy

Sunday, January 15, 2017

This will be the final installment of the Thermal California at the Salton Sea series. I spent more time walking around this area than the previous year. I was able to find more that I felt I missed. On the plus side, the sea didn't have the pungent odor as it did before and the erosion didn't seem to have changed much. The fish and bird carcasses seemed to be on the decline as well. That's not saying much over all. The chair on the beach, one of my favorite images from last year has sunk up to its arm in a years time. Ive said before that the Salton Sea is a love for me. It will always fill me with wonder of what was there and what it will become and I'm grateful to have these opportunities to shoot this location annually. I owe a lot to those who support me, and Ian Jenkins for continuous support and driving. I'm not sure what 2017 holds as far as returning but I will say, the future is bright. We evolve and the world keeps turning although we don't feel it. Thank you for reading. Enjoy

Saturday, January 7, 2017

To continue from the last blog...After I shot Desert Shores we did a 3 mile journey to Thermal, California. This location, like the previous was a place that I have visited before but I wanted to explore more. This town is more of a wasteland if you will. A lot of the streets are dirt roads and this is the second time I have seen these ATV bandits, with black flags hanging off the back end and loud exhausts throwing sand and dust in their wake. I have perhaps made that sound more cool than it really was. I have also noticed that the rise of graffiti art on some of these abandoned buildings, which most of the time for me is a bummer but I see it from all sides.

I did shoot some of the same subjects in 2015 and some new. The Park Estates recreational suites was new to me but be advised that pigeons will go into a full dive bomb in your general direction if they feel threatened. I glad I had that wool flannel on! haha. Only jokes. Stayed tuned for part II of this series in the future. I appreciate you looking. Enjoy

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Upon my arrival at LAX airport, I am greeted with the rush of people who's faces I do not recognize an a sting in the air. The sting of warmer temperatures and a waft of smog and exhaust. I'm met with flashing lights and a familiar smile of family. Los Angeles has always had something to offer me in a major way and this annual trip makes all the nervous anxiety of sitting in a plane worth it. My primary motivation on these trips is to reconnect with family, to reconnect with the west coast hot rod scene and squeeze as much out of life as I can foregoing sleep to make this annual trip more exciting than the last but all in all that is a difficult task but that motivation I will never waver from.

We set off on an otherwise cloudy Monday morning for Desert Shores, California. The Salton Sea was a place I have visited just a year prior in all of its splendor but I knew there were places I had missed that make the long days at work that have my head spinning at the possibility that I do not like to leave a stone upturned to discover whats left and shoot everything I can. A few hours later we ended up in clear skies, among the odd palm tree forests of the desert. Walking the over cooked black top streets and this is what I found. Word of advice...even in December, do not wear a wool flannel. This will be the first set of my 2016 trip to the Salton Sea. Thank you and enjoy.

JJacobs Photography Information

Lifestyle and Abandoned Architectural Photographer. Residing in Fort Wayne, IN. Looking to book new clientele in 2017 / 2018 and on and on. Email me for pricing and availability.
JJacobsphotog@gmail.com